The Alabama Incident Management System (AIMS) is a secure, encrypted, web-based program that facilitates ongoing, real-time communication between healthcare facilities, including Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Community Health Centers, Medical Needs Shelters, Healthcare Coalition members, and local, area and state Emergency Operations Centers. AIMS is a situational awareness tool primarily designed to coordinate statewide healthcare disaster responses and resources, as needed to carry out the Emergency Support Function (ESF #8- Public Health and Medical) responsibilities outlined in the National Response Framework, a part of the National Strategy for Homeland Security. AIMS receives raw data voluntarily contributed by healthcare facilities in the course of their communications, including hospitalization data during the COVID-19 response, which contains certain personal identifying information. AIMS data is thus potentially sensitive in nature, and access to AIMS raw data is strictly limited to the contributing healthcare facilities and Emergency Operations Centers. However, COVID-19 related hospitalization data is continuously extracted from AIMS' database and is incorporated daily into the information available on the Alabama Department of Public Health's (ADPH) COVID-19 Data and Surveillance Dashboard. Additional information is extracted from AIMS and reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as required by the federal government, and is publicly available on HHS' website.
AIMS is a dynamic system that reflects the constantly changing events within the state's healthcare system and is not a repository for otherwise unreported healthcare information. All AIMS data must first be compiled and analyzed in order to respond to informational requests - AIMS does not self-generate or maintain documentation in any format that constitutes public records subject to the Alabama Open Records Act. While reported data received by AIMS is generally not subject to disclosure by ADPH, contributing healthcare facilities may choose to disclose their own data pursuant to a public information request submitted directly to the healthcare facility.
Written requests for information from AIMS are reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis by ADPH in accordance with the above. Requests should clearly identify the requestor and the specific data requested, and provide a sufficiently detailed explanation of the purpose for the request and the reasons supporting the release of the requested data. Please submit all such requests to ADPH's Health Care Coalition Director, within the Center for Emergency Preparedness.
